Annesley Woodhouse Quarry

Ashton’s Meadow

Ashton's Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest is a traditionally maintained ancient meadow that has not seen the use of artificial methods or pesticides for many years. You can still see the original ridges and furrows, while admiring a rich diversity of flowers and wildlife.
Spring and summer are the best time to see the array of wild flowers on the reserve, while the grassland butterflies are best seen from July.

Attenborough

This beautiful complex of flooded former gravel pits and islands provides 360 acres of exceptional habitat for a wide range of plants, birds and other wildlife. The Nature Reserve is nationally designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the award-winning Nature Centre is an ideal gateway to this natural haven. Follow us on Twitter! @AttenboroughNR
Anyone wishing to support the care and management of this popular nature reserve can do so by clicking on the button below.

Beacon Hill Conservation Park

Beacon Hill Conservation Park is the Wildlife Trust's largest urban reserve covering 20 hectares of land. The reserve lies to the north east of Newark town centre - a green oasis bordered by the Beacon Fields residential and industrial areas.

Bentinck Banks

Bentinck Banks is a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest' (SSSI) because it supports some of the finest remaining limestone plant communities in Nottinghamshire. You may spot species such as greater knapweed, burnet saxifrage, St. John's wort, and cowslip. A variety of orchid species all grow here.

Besthorpe

Part of a major gravel extraction site, Besthorpe Nature Reserve lies in the Trent floodplain to the north of Collingham, on the east bank of the river. The site comprises two areas, north and south of Trent Lane, totalling around 68 hectares. A further 100 hectares or so of restored gravel pits to the south of Mons Pool will be added to the reserve between 2015 and 2020, when further extraction has been completed.

Breck’s Plantation

Breck's Plantation is a mixed urban woodland covering almost 2.5 hectares. The site provides valuable habitat for wildlife and offers visitors and local residents an opportunity to experience woodland nature. Much of the woodland dates back to the late seventeenth century. Visitors walking through the wood will be able to spot a diverse range of different trees including oak, ash, sycamore, larch, Norway spruce, silver birch, elder and blackthorn.

Bunny Old Wood (West)

Bunny Old Wood is one of the oldest natural features of the South Nottinghamshire landscape - the north-facing slope is likely to have been tree-covered for over 10,000 years. A great place to visit, especially in spring and summer when you'll see many colourful ancient woodland flowers such as bluebell, wood anemone and yellow archangel.

Calverton Road

Calverton Road Nature Reserve is a carefully restored woodland site - a great place to see range of different trees including lime, hawthorn, sycamore, alder, rowan, whitebeam, field maple, and red oak.

Chilwell Meadow

Chilwell Meadow is an important preserved fragment of the wet meadows that were once common in the Trent valley. In late spring and early summer, look out for wild flowers such as yellow rattle, bird’s foot trefoil and common spotted orchid.

Clarborough Tunnel

Clarborough Tunnel Nature Reserve is mix of grassy areas and dense woodland. Most of the reserve covers an area over a railway tunnel created in 1849. The grassland is rich in flowering plants including cowslip, bird's foot trefoil, wild carrot, hoary plantain, knapweed, yellow-wort, spiny restharrow, ox–eye daisy and several species of orchid. Spring and summer are the best times to visit this reserve.

Daneshill Lakes

Daneshill Lakes is a former gravel extraction area which has now been carefully restored to benefit wildlife. The gravel pits themselves have been flooded to create an open water habitat surrounded by willow woodland. Many wild flowers also grow here, attracting butterflies such as brimstone, common blue, meadow brown, gatekeeper and ringlet.

Duke’s Wood

This woodland nature reserve is also an important historical site. Duke's Wood witnessed the pioneering days of one of this country’s important industries, being the location of the UK's first onshore oilfield. Visitors can follow the Duke's Woord Trail - a chance to stroll through the trees and learn about the natural and historical significance of this area. Enjoy the spring flowers and birdsong, and more flowers and butterflies during the summer.

Dyscarr Wood

Dyscarr Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest covering 17 hectares of North Nottinghamshire countryside. This ancient woodland boasts a diversity of wildlife. There are scrublands and marshes to explore as well!

Eakring Meadows

The reserve is a fine example of species-rich meadows which have developed on damp or wet soils. Thie resulting wildflower meadows includes many interesting grasses and flowers including sweet vernal, red fescue, Yorkshire fog, lady's smock and ragged robin. Spring and early summer is the best time of year to enjoy the flowers and butterflies.

Eaton and Gamston Woods

These two woods near Retford comprise nearly 65 hectares of mixed ancient woodland, the majority of which is designated as a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). The best time to visit is from mid-April to the end of June.

Fairham Brook

One of the largest reserves within the city of Nottingham, Fairham Brook is a grassland reserve. A wildlife pond is home to frogs, toads and newts. The reserve also holds a good variety of invertebrates including dragonflies, butterflies and moths, and visitors may spot kingfishers along the Brook.

Faith Marriott

Why not visit Faith Marriott - our wildlife 'secret garden' which includes many of its original 1930s features. This really is a Nature Reserve with a difference - a chance to explore a beautful garden, designed with wildlife in mind. Kindly left to us by a lady called Faith Marriott, the extensive garden has now been carefully restored to its former glory, with a pond, wildflower garden and woodland area.

Farndon Willow Holt

Situated in the village of Farndon in the Newark and Sherwood District, this fascinating site covers almost 10 hectares and includes areas of flood meadow and wildflower-rich grassland as well as sections of river bank and flood bank. The Willow Holt is owned by the Trust and includes a fine collection of willow species.

Foxcovert Plantation

Foxcovert Plantation is a great place to visit for a walk through the woods, with a mixture of oak and birch trees, together with sycamore, sweet chestnut, rowan, coppiced lime and several other species. In summer, warblers and flycatchers join other common woodland species whilst in autumn the wood fills with the fruiting bodies of fungi.

Girton Grasslands

Girton Grasslands is a fine example of a Trent Valley floodplain meadow. It is an unusually rich habitat for wildlife - home to an array of beautiful wildflowers and grasses including meadowsweet, red fescue and meadow foxtail. It consists of an unusual structure of eight fields of rare floodplain meadow grassland, two of which we own and encourage people to explore. Heritage Lottery Fund recently supported the purchase of one of the meadows and an investigation which revealed that the meadows were likely modified by the villagers of Girton after the flood of 1795 as an innovative (at the time) solution to create an area of flood storage and protect the village.

Glapton Wood

Glapton Wood is thought to be a remnant of the old Clifton Woods, which were mostly cleared during the late 1950s to make way for the construction of the Clifton Housing Estate. It is dominated by oak trees with elder, hawthorn. ash, Scots pine, sycamore and hazel. The ground flora includes bramble and rosebay willowherb. A number of birds can be seen in the wood including great spotted woodpecker, goldcrest, spotted flycatcher and pied wagtail.

Harrison’s Plantation

Harrison's Plantation, together with Martin's Pond, forms an important wildlife reservoir in this part of the city. In addition to woodland areas, a pond provides habitat for breeding mallard and Canada geese. A number of other birds can be seen in the wood including great spotted woodpecker, kingfisher, nuthatch, blackcap and treecreeper. Raleigh Pond and the wet areas throughout the wood also provide excellent habitats for frogs and toads. A visit is worthwhile at any time of the year.

Idle Valley

This spectacular wetland site covers an area of 450 hectares following the River Idle northwards. The size of 600 football pitches, it is one of the largest sites for nature conservation in the East Midlands.
The acquisition of the site is supported by a grant from the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Plan Your Visit
We welcome your visit to the reserve and centre. If you are a large walking group or organised group please contact us so we can discuss your interests, needs and if necessary your seating arrangements in the centre's café for refreshment.
We have lots for families to do here, so please pick up activity sheets, hire a discovery pack, make dens in our wildlife play area or take part in our regular wild tots, wild kids and woodland workshops which are all featured in the events diary.
Have Your Say
We would like to know your top 'must see' locations or experiences at Idle Valley Nature Reserve to inspire our plans and help us prioritise access improvements. Your choices could be inspired by species, habitat, view, wildlife spectacle, seasonal features, atmosphere, discovery for children, etc. Please click this link to take you to a short survey to let us know your must see locations.

Jacksdale

This grassland nature reserve also has an area of new woodland which was planted some years ago. Meadow brown, common blue, small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies feed on the knapweed, vetches, trefoils and burnet in the grassy areas. Birds to be seen include kestrel and skylark, as well as kingfisher flying along the river.

King’s Meadow

Situated on the northern edge of the Riverside Industrial Park in the Lenton area of Nottingham, King’s Meadow is a unique urban nature reserve.
The site covers just over one hectare and shows how nature can return to an urban environment. Visit during the summer and enjoy the butterflies and orchids.

Lady Lee Quarry

Lady Lee Quarry is a large shallow lake with well vegetated margins and several small islands. The other major habitat is woodland, together with grassland and marsh. Impressive limestone outcrops around the edge of the quarry are of significant geological interest.

Mansey Common

Mansey Common boasts species-rich grassland and ancient hawthorn scrub. Along one side of the reserve is a steep sided valley dominated by mature trees and a ground flora reminiscent of ancient woodland.

Misson Carr

Misson Carr is an extensive reserve which is best enjoyed when the opportunity of a guided walk or event presents itself. Anyone wishing to visit the reserve should contact the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Estate Team on 0115 958 8242 to; unfortunately due to access restrictions it is not possible to enter the reserve without prior arrangement.

Moorbridge Pond

This 2.5 hectare site, together with the adjacent site Springfield Corner which sits on the other side of the railway and tram line, is the location of the original ‘Bull Well’ which gave the suburb of Bulwell its name, and its mix of open water, reed bed and woodland make it one of the most important wetland sites in the city of Nottingham.

North Muskham Lake

This 6 hectare nature reserve was once the site of gravel extraction. The River Trent runs along the eastern boundary and habitat re-creation work has taken place to restore this area of floodplain to attract a wide range of important wildlife including snipe, reed warbler and sand martin. As a water body close to the Trent, the main interest is water birds with most of the regular duck species being recorded. Winter is the best time to visit for these birds as numbers are swelled by winter visitors.

Osmanthorpe

This reserve came to the Trust in 2001 as the result of a legacy. It is a long, narrow, almost triangular site which was formerly an orchard. Located at SK677568 on the minor road from Kirklington to Southwell the reserve is adjacent to Osmanthorpe Manor.

Ploughman Wood

Ploughman Wood covers over 32 hectares and is one of the county’s few remaining ancient woodlands - a great place for a stroll through the trees particularly in spring when bluebells and wood anenomes carpet the ground.

Quarry Holes Plantation

As the name implies, this woodland reserve is situated in a disused limestone quarry, which was established in the 15th century. Following the quarry's closure around 130 years ago, natural colonisation and subsequent vegetation succession have resulted in the mixed woodland that dominates the site today.

Rainworth Heath

This reserve, just to the north of Rainworth, covers over 16 hectares and is one of the last remaining areas of heathland in Nottinghamshire which has led to its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The site offers something of interest to visitors all year round with a wide variety of birds, flowers and insects to be found. Common lizards may be seen basking in the summer, and heather is in flower in the late summer and autumn.

Seller’s Wood

This ancient coppiced woodland covers more than 14 hectares and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as a result of its wildlife value. Whilst enjoyable at any time of year, springtime shows the reserve at its best.

Skylarks

With the support of our Members and donors we successfully raised the funds to purchase land adjacent to our Skylarks site to create Rushcliffe's largest nature reserve along. Over the winter of 2014/15 we carried out a range of work to create and enhance key habitats and to make the reserve more accessible for local people with the financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. You can help us do more to protect sites like Skylarks by becoming a supporter today.

Springfield Corner

This small triangular urban site is located in Bulwell on the opposite side of the railway/tram line to the Moorbridge Pond reserve and is designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). Springfield Corner had a makeover in 2012 and the nature trail is now restored, access is improved, and the site has a lovely woodcarving of a frog! The path into the site walks you through both woodland and wildflower areas, and you will find a wildlife site with as many habitats as can be fitted into a small area!

Strawberry Hill Heath

This beautiful heathland is a great place to visit and the Trust is working with partners to extend and link this and other remaining areas of heathland within the Sherwood Forest landscape to ensure they have a secure future. The 23 hectare site is recognised nationally as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Look out for the many species of fungi, mosses and lichens, as well as invertebrates and reptiles, including over 40 species of beetle.

Teversal Pastures

Treswell Wood

Treswell Wood is a very special site and was the first nature reserve to be purchased by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. Covering almost 50 hectares, it is one of the best examples of an ash/oak/maple wood in the county.

Walkeringham

Walkeringham Nature Reserve boasts an interesting mosaic of habitats including grassland and a small pond. The species-rich grassland is a great place to spot wildflowers such as southern marsh orchid, bee orchid and bird’s foot trefoil.

Wilford Claypit

This diverse nature reserve covers 4.3 hectares south of Nottingham, and originated as a quarry where clay was excavated for making bricks. It's a great place to spot dragonflies and damselflies in late spring and summer, including the impressive blue and green emperor dragonfly

Wilwell Farm Cutting

This abandoned railway cutting is one of the best wild flower sites in Nottinghamshire with more than 230 species so far recorded and covers approximately eight hectares. The site has been nationally designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). Spring and summer are the best times of year to enjoy the flowers and butterflies.

Sightings in - 2006

Sightings in - 2005

Already a best seller this new Collins Guide to British Birds is a must for beginners and experts alike. The book was co-authored by Paul Stancliffe, former volunteer at Attenborough and features great quality photographs.£ 19.99 Paperback instore (£22 online)

Current Opening Times

Visitor comments

We wanted somewhere to stop on our journey 'up North' and the Attenborough Nature Reserve was great. A walk round the lakes, a view from the bird hides and a cuppa and a cake in the cafe gave us a relaxing break.
Lily22 - Tripadvisor June 2015

Latest from Twitter

Our holiday clubs are a great chance for kids to adventure and learn in our natural world!
Our next one is meadow… twitter.com/i/web/status/9…